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His Majesties Enlargement of Concessions in His last Answer touching Episcopacy, Sent to His two Houses of Parliament, 21 Octob. 1648.
- 1. HE hath particularly Consented to the Abolishing of Arch-bishops, Chauncellours, Deanes and Chapters, &c. and the whole Hierarchy save Bishops.
- 2. VVhereas He did formerly Consent to confirme the Forme of Church Government for three yeares; He hath now expresly Consented that no other shall be used, And the exercise of Episcopall Government shall be wholly suspended during that time.
- 3. VVhereas Episcopall jurisdiction (if no other had been agreed on in the mean time) might have risen up after the three years. He hath now expressed His Consent, That none shall be exercised after that time (other then Ordination, which is restrained to the Councell and Assistance of Presbyters) but such, and in such manner as shall be agreed by Him, and His two Houses, whereby, untill such Agreement (or if it be not otherwise agreed) Episcopall jurisdiction is wholly laide aside.
His Majesty also this day Consented to the following Propositions.
- 1. TO that for Nomination of the great Officers of the Kingdome, &c. As is desired in the Proposition. The Nomination of them to be by both Houses, during the Terme of ten years.
- 2. To that concerning the City of London as is desired in the Proposition.
- 3. To that concerning the Great Seal, &c. as is desired in the Proposition.
- 4. To that concerning the Court of VVards, &c. as is desired in the Proposition. A recompence being assured to His Majesty of one hundred thousand pounds per Annum to Him, His Heires and Successors.
HIs Majesty conceives, That His former Answers to your Propositions concerning the Church, would have given more satisfaction to His two Houses, then is expressed in your Papers of the sixteenth and seventeenth of this instant, containing in them (if considered in their full extent). Concessions of the most materiall things desired. And therefore, as well for a Declaration of His clear intentions by those former Answers, as for a further and finall Answer to the said Preposition and Paper of the 17. His Majesty saith as followeth.
That albeit, for the reasons expressed in His former Paper, He cannot consent to a Bill, and the Ordinance for Abolishing Bishops: Yet for the satisfaction of His two Houses, and setling the publique Peace, He will consent to a Bill for the taking away of all Arch-bishops, Chauncellours, and Commissaries, Deanes, and Sub-deanes, Deanes and Chapters, Arch-deacons, Canons and Prebendaries, and all Chaunters, Chancellours, Tresurers, Sub-Tresurers, Succenters, and Sacrists, and all Vicars Chorall, and Choristers, old Vicars and new Vicars of any Cathedrall or Collegiat Church, and all other their under Officers out of the Church of England, and Dominion of Wales, and out of the Church of Ireland.
And further, His Majesty will Consent to suspend the exercise of all Episcopall Government for the space of three yeares; and hath Consented, and will Consent to confirme the Form of Church Government now presented to Him for the said three yeares; And that no other shall be used during that time. In which time His Majesty continues His desire; That a Consultation may be had with the Assembly of Divines at Westminster, (twenty of His own nomination being added) To the end, that His Majesty and His two Houses may within those three yeares informe themselves of the practice of the Primitive Church in Point of Episcopacy, and may accordingly agree in limiting the Bishops to the Councell and Assistance of Presbyters, and in the exercise of their Jurisdiction and increasing their number if it be thought fit.
And His Majesty will Consent, that in case no Settlement shall be agreed on within the said three years, Then after the said time, the power of Ordination shall not be exercised by Bishops without the Councell, and Assistance of Presbyters. And that no other Episcopal Jurisdiction shall be exercised by Bishops, but such, and in such manner as shall be agreed on by His Majesty and His two Houses of Parliament.
And His Majesty doth prosesse, That, if in that time He be Convinced, that the Function of Bishops is not agreeable to the Word of God, or that Christ Commanded any other Government, He will most chearfully imbrace that, and take away Episcopacy; But untill He be so Convinced, He believes Himself bound in Conscience, as it is above expressed.
The rest of His Majesties Answer to the Proposition concerning Religion, as it was this day delivered by Him to the Commissioners to be transmitted, is the same as that of the ninth instant. His Majesty professing that this now was the furthest that He could goe in Conscience.